venables



{No.Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.v

J. H. VENABLES & J. HUGHES.

ROTARY ENGINE.

No. 400,021. I Patented Mar. 19, 1889..

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ROTARY ENGINE. No. 400,021. Patented Mar. 19, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HAMSON vENAnLEs AND JOSEPH HUGHES, OE TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA,ASSIGNORS or ONE-THIRD 'ro SAMUEL eoxoN, or SAME lliA CE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,021, dated March19, 1889.

Application filed May 3, 1888- $erial No. 272,669. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN HAMsON VENA- BLES and JOSEPH HUGHES, bothengineers, and both of the city of Toronto,in the county of York, in theProvince of Ontario, Canada, have jointly invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Rotary Engines, of which the following is aspecification.

The object of the invention is to design a reversible rotary engine inwhich the steam may be cut off at any desired point of the revolutionand the expansive power of the steam utilized; and it consists in thepeculiar combinations and the construction, arrangement, and adaptationof parts, all as more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure 1 is a perspective Outside view of our improved rotary engine.Fig. 2 is a sectional side view showing the interior construction of therotary-engine cylinder.

For the purpose of illustrating our invention we have chosen an ordinarylink-motion valve-gear; but it will of course be understood that anyclass of valve or valves may be applied.

In the drawings, A represents the main steam-pipe leading from theboiler and connecting with the valve-chest B. G is a steamport leadingfrom the valve-chest B to one side of the cylinder D, and E is a similarsteam-port leading from the valve-chest B and entering the other side ofthe cylinder D immediately opposite to the point where the port 0enters.

F is a link supported on the spindle of the valve and connected to thedriving-shaft G .by the rods ll and eccentrics Las shown. \V e show twoeccentrics and two rods, although our engine will operate with oneeccentric and one rod, for the reason we will explain further on.

Each of the stean'i-ports O and E is provided with a cut-otf valveoperated by the le vers J, which levers are connected to the link F, asindicated in Fig. 1.

It is of coursenot necessary to connect the levers which operate thecut-off valves with the link, as the link and the valves may each beoperated by an independel'lt lever.

K is a cylinder connected to and forming part of the cylinder D, so thatthe circle of the inner circumference of one cylinder intersects andextends into the circle of the inner circumference of the othercylinder. Consequently the piston which follows the inner circurnferenceof one cylinder will extend into the other cylinder when passing thespace connecting the two cylinders.

L is a piston, substantially egg-shaped and fixed to the driving-shaftG, and formed so that its greatest diameter extends to and is fittedagainst the inner circumference of the cylinder D.

M is a-two-winged cam fixed to a spindle, N, suitably journaled in thecylinder K, and having fixed to its outer end a handle, 0. The outercircumference of this two-winged cam M fits the inner circumference ofthe cylinder K, and the two wings are connected together by a curvedbridge, l, which fits against the block Q, extending into and formingpart ofthe cylinder K.

Adjustable plates operated by springs or steam may be placed at thepoints of contact between the piston L and the cylinder D and thetwo-winged cam M and its cylinder K, and between the bridge P and itsblock Q; but as there is no appreciable friction at these points thewear will be very slight. Each end of the cylinders D and K is closed bya cover, R,'Securely bolted to flanges formed on the said cylinders.Adjustable plates operated by springs or steam are placed on the innersurface of each cover R to press against and form steam-tight jointswith the piston L, cam M, and curved bridge P.

As adjustable packing of the description we use is employed in otherrotary engines, it is not necessary for us to illustrate itsconstruction in this specification. There are two exhaust-ports, S,extending from the cylinder K, opposite to each other, as shown, andeach exhaust-port S is provided with a cut-off valve operated by ahandle, T. Two steam-pipes, U, extend into the cylinder K on either sideof the block Q. These steam-pipes U are either provided with cut-offvalves or are so connected to the Steam-ports C and E that steam will beonly admitted through one of them at a time.

Having described the general construction ol. our improved rotaryengine, we shall now explain briefly its operation.

it will be noticed on reference tol ig. 2 that the portion ofillOpiSiIOlt L which fits against the cireumlereime of the cylinder Khas just passed the steam-port C. The valve in this Sli()ldil[10i'ii isassumed to be open and the exhaustport on the same side is closed, whilethe steznn-port E is closed and the exhaustport on the same side open.The steam-pipe on the right-hand side of Fig. 2 is open, and thesteam-pipe l' on the opposite side of the block Q closed. The pressureof the steam admitted through the open steampipe if, acting against thebaelc of the wing of the cam M, which presses against the eantshapedpiston 'L, holds the said wing against the said piston with suiileientforce to form a steam-tight joint between the two, and the steamadmitted through the open steam-port E forces the piston L to travel inthe direction indicated by the arrow until it passes the point where thecircles of the cylinders l) and K intersect each other, when the steamwill escape through the open exhaustportb, and the piston L must thencontinue to travel by the force of its own momentum until it once morereaches the open steamport. lly adopting a cut-oil? valve operated byeccentrics, as described, the steam may be cut oit from the opensteam-port at any doslred point, when, of course, the expansive force ofthe steam will be utilized for propeli ling the revolving piston L.Inorder to reverse the engine, it is merely neeessaryto shift the linkll, turn the two-winged c am M so as to bring the opposite cam intocontact with the piston L, close the ports which were previously open,and open those which were previtnisly closed, when the piston l) will becaused to immediately revolve in the opposite direction. As thesteanrports C and E enter the cylin' der K exactly opposite to eachother, the rela tive position of the piston ii to each steamport will bethe same. (,onsequently a single eccentric will be sufficient to operatethe valve to propel the piston in either direction.

It will be understood that two cylinders may be coupled together andarranged so that the piston of one will be takin steam during the periodthat the piston of the other cylinder is passing over the dead-center.

\Vhat we claim as our invention isl. The cylinder D, provided withsteamports, and the cylinder K, connected to and 'formin part of saidcylinder I), substantially as described, and provided withexhaust-ports, and the block Q, combined with the piston L, thetwo-winged cam fitting the cylinder K, and having a curved connectionbetween the wings fitting under the block Q, and a bandle to said camconnected with the valves to said exhaust-ports, substantially asdescribed.

2. A piston, L, carried on the shaft G, within the cylinder 1), againstthe inner surface of which it fits, the steam-ports E, entering thecylinder D immediately opposite to each other, as shown, in combinationwith the two-winged cam M, fitting the cylinder K and carried on thespindle N, the exhaust-ports S, entering the cylinder K immediatelyopposite to each other, the curved bridge 1, connecting togetlier thetwo wings of the cam M and :litting against the block Q, and thesteam-pipes l arranged substantially as and for the purpose specified.

Toronto, April 26, 188$.

JOHN IIAMSON VICNABLES. JOSEPH. l l'llGl IES.

in presence ol' (ti-marine; U. BALDWIN, l .13. Fn'rrmnsinmanual.

